Former BNP MP Salauddin & Mayor Refatullah on remand

A Dhaka court on Sunday placed BNP Vice-President and former lawmaker Dr Dewan Mohammad Salauddin Babu and Savar Municipality mayor M Refatullah on ten days’ remand in two sabotage cases. .Earlier, Savar Model Thana Police produced the two BNP leaders to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Dhaka with pleas seeking 20 days’ remand in the two cases. Senior Judicial Magistrate Syed Siraj Zinnat granted ten days’ remand in the two cases after a hearing in absence to the defence lawyers.

Earlier, the defence counsels including Sanaullah Mia, Masud Ahmed Talukder Mosleuddin Jasim appealed to the court to defer the remand hearing to Monday. However, District Public Prosecutor Khandaker Abdul Mannan wanted the hearing to be held on Sunday. At this stage the Magistrate left his courtroom. However, he returned to the courtroom after ten minutes and conducted the hearing. On the other hand, the defence lawyers boycotted the hearing.

Police filed case against Salauddin Babu allegedly for attempting to kill people by setting fire on vehicle in Savar and Ashulia areas after January 5 general election. Later, he was on the run, the OC of Savar Model Police Station added. Salahuddin was picked up from his Paribagh residence in the capital on Saturday morning. He was kept at Savar Thana custody, the OC said.

Meanwhile, Savar municipality mayor and municipality unit BNP President M Refatullah was picked up from Savar on Sunday morning. He was also arrested in the two cases filed for killing people through torching and vandalizing vehicles during BNP sponsored shutdown and blockade.

Refatullah was suspended from the post of mayor in a case filed in connection with the collapse of Rana Plaza building on April 24, 2013. On October 12, the High Court directed the local government to withdraw the suspension. Accordingly his suspension was withdrawn on October 21 and he took over his charge as mayor on the same day.